Auxiliary spring snubber



1,514,341 J. P. RICHTER AUXILIARY SPRING SNUBBER Nbv. 4 1924.

Filed Aug. 6, 1923 J P P/CHTEQ.

Patented Nov. t, 192

STA'I'E ems.

JOHN P. RICHTER, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR 0F THREE-FO'UBTHSTO SALLIE 1V1. BRADLEY AND ONE-FOURTH TO T. M, BRADLEY, J'B., BOTH: OF BIRMING- HAM, ALABAMA.

AUXILIARY srnme snUBBnn.

Application filed August 6, 1923. Serial No. 656,032.

To all whom it may conc'erm'.

Be it known that I, JOHN P. RICHTER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Auxiliary Spring Snubbers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an auxiliary spring snubber for vehicles which is particularly designed for affording easy riding while serving as a means to protect automobile springs and prevent their breakage.

More particularly my object is to design a simple and inexpensive spring protecting snubber which can be readily attached to and removed from any make of automobile; which Will require no changes in the body structure; and which will eliminate roughness in riding after the fashion of the shock absorber so as to minimize jolts and jars and make the riding smooth and easy.

A further object is to design the snubbing spring protector so as to guard effectively against noise or rattle of parts, and my in vention is especially designed to this end,' its attachments being so adjusted and made utilization of adjustable straps as a means for connectlng the auxlliary snubbing spring and overhead elements rigid with the.chas-' sis, these straps being readily adjustable or removable so that their auxiliary snubbing spring can be easily removed, repaired and replaced.

details of construction and arrangements of parts, which in their preferred embodiment only are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which':

Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively elevation and plan views of the rear auxiliary spring snubber as applied to a chassis shown broken away.

' Fig. 3 is an elevation of a front auxiliary spring snubber.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on be passed over the brace rod 21 connecting tion and cross section re pec ive y 9f the clamp for attaching the auxiliary spring snubber mounting to the rear axle housing.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. I show the auxiliary spring snubber as comprisinga main leaf member 1 made of spring steel anddesigned to catch the slightest rebound. Above this is a leaf member 2 also of spring steel which has its free ends standing slightly spaced above'the free ends of the spring member 1 and which thus is adapted, whenengaged by the latter member, to catch and absorb rebounds slightly exceeding the capacity of the spring 1.] The members 1 and '2' are of substantially the same length. Mounted above the leaf 2is the leaf member 3 which is also of spring steel and is shorter than the member 2 and its free ends are but slightly spaced from the member 2 so that this will'take care of and absorb rebounds in excess of the capacity of the springs 1 and 2. The top leaf memberi is shorter than the member 8 and is practicallystraight and is designed to take care of the rebounds in excess of the combined capacity of the members 1, 2 and 3. These four spring leaves are held together by a center bolt 5 and two U-bolt clips 7 and 8 which are connected to the bracket- 6 by means of nuts 9.

The bracket 6 is preferably integral'with a yoke 10 arched or curved as viewed in plan and provided at its ends with axle engaging portions 11 curved to conform to the curvature of the rear axle housing 12 to which they are connected by clip members My invention further comprises the novel 13 and 14, which clips are of the U-bolt type each having a tip or boss 15 adapted to engage m a hole 16 in its respective yoke on itself to form a loop or eye 19 for the reception of a strap 20 which is adapted to the frame members 22 at the rear of the c as i The t ap 20 n e justed to length in any desired manner. By the arrangement shown the snubber can be installed directly behind the d'ifl er'e ntiali hous prevented overcome.-

ing 23 or its yoke supportcan be swung. forwardly so as to mount the snubber above or below the drive shaft 24', and it can be set at any desired angle to a horizontal plane which is best suited for the convenient application or operation of the straps 20..

In Fig. 3 I show the preferred adaptation of my invention as a front snubber mounted on the front axle 25. Here the auxiliary spring snubber is made up of a lower leaif member 26 having its ends bent down andform'edinto the loops19-for hold ing straps 2O working abovethis spring are three leat members 52-7,. 28 and 29 which are all shownof; the straight type and seccessively shortened and they are connected to a bracket 30 by a center bolt 5" and clips ,7 and; 8 in the manner already described.

This bracket. 30: is preferably made of? soft steel and. is bolted or riveted to the: front axle 25 so as to: project either in front or to the rear thereoll. The straps 20 here connect thema in leaf member 26' to the front brace rod 3-1- connecting the sides 22 of. the chassis. Qbvionsly o my methods of attachment make it possible to; apply my improved auxiliary snubber springs either to the front or rear of; the front and rear. axles and. at the desired angle or elevation Where they will be least unsightly, most convenient for service most. easily attached and removed, By the use of these auxiliary snubber springs the main spring-sof the automobile, which are generally made too light. for the" load intended: to be carried inorder' that there ma be more case riding. and therefore are subject to breakage from rebound, can be stifl 'enedand'yet injurious: rebound Each leaf of the auxiliary spring is designed with such difference in: arch or length that it will pcrform the definite duty required of it when brought, into service and: the assembled springsmrbben Will become essentially adj unct' to the main springs designed. to relieve them: of severe strain and prolong: their life. In operation, due to the flexible connections 20; the. auxiliary snubbing' springs do not affect the action: of the: main. springs. asv they respond. to changes in the load on the vehicle or as bumps, or inequalitiescause the body to: approach the. run .Ing gear; or the. running gear to approach the: body, but. when the two: move apart more than: the length of the strapsQO the lowerauxiliary spring members first resist the rebound movement with a relatively lightresistance which is increased: as each of the spring members. above it is brought successively into play so that the snnbber thus gradually and. efiectively kills. the rebound and saves the main springs.

While I have shown the auxiliary spring as having four leaf members it is obvious that this number may be modified according to conditions and that the exact curvature, length or stiffness of the auxiliary spring leaves can be modified according to the duty required of them, all within. the" general scope and principle of my invention which it is to be understood may be otherwise modified and changed within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the essential features thereof.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. Arr auxiliary spring snnbber, comprising. in coinbinatin-n an: assembly oi lefi springs which decrease in length. upwardly, a lnrality of said leaves benig at their ends for the ptnrpeses described; fl'eaible connections to the free; ends of. the lowermost springv leaf, a rigid! body clement engaged loosely overhead. by each: flexible cennection, centen clip means connecting, said spring leaves,- andar bracket for mounting said snubbing spring upon and parallel with a vehicle axle.

2. The combination with a: vehicle body having a cross brace rod, cf. straps hung: on said rod,-. an auxiliary snubber spring disposed transversely under the: vehicle body, means to mount said: spring at: its center in. overhung pesition on. the adjacent: vehicle axle beneath said rod, said spring. comprisseries of leaves of difi'erent length and disposed to corn e successively into play, and means to connect the straps to? the free ends cf the lowermost leaf of. said anxiliary spring; 7

3. an. auxiliary spring: .--*ubber means in accordance with claim 2, in which. the means to connect the spring to the adjacent axle; is adapted to" mount the spring in. front or to: the rear of its supporting axle,

4. auxiliary spring snirbbe'r means: in accordance with ell-aim 2 in; which the means connecting the spring snubber to the axle is adjustable angularly about the axle.

5. In an auxiliary spring snubber for velll clGS, a bcdy halving rigid. strap supporting me as thereon, straps hung 'i rom's said supporting means, a snubbing; spring comprising a plurality of superposed leaves, the lowerrncst having eyes at its ends-1 to receive said straps and the leaves above being .shorter and spaced: to successively come: into play as the lower spring leaf. is drzevn: upwardly by the pull of said straps and. a bracket having means at its center to connect said snubber spring: thereto and having means to clamp its ends to the adjacentv vehicle axle in overhung position: free for angular adjustment about the same.

6 An auxiliary, noniloadsupporting spring; to check. vehicle body rebounds, comprising a leaf spring having leaves which spring rigidly on a supporting axle for said decrease upwardly in length and at least body thatits spaced leaves come successively 10 two of the lowermost of which leaves are into action to check excessive body rebounds.

spaced flexible connections to the lowermost In testimony whereof I aflix my signatur i 4 spring leaf, means rigid with the body which said connections engage overhead, a 1 center fastenlng for the spring leaves, and W1tness: a bracket for so mountmg sald auxihary NOMIE WELSH.

JOHN P. RICHTER. 

